Fiber optic cable cleaning the end
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 124
Likes: 1
From: Jundiai SP
Fiber optic cable cleaning the end
Need advise here, the previous owner painted the car wIthout taking out nor masking the tail light housings. So he painted the fiber optics ends, now not much light gets to the console.
Need a tip to clean it , thinner?, acetone, gas, alcohol????
Regards
Flavio
Need a tip to clean it , thinner?, acetone, gas, alcohol????
Regards
Flavio
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,285
Likes: 4,375
From: Westminster Maryland
Hi Flavio,
I think I'd start cleaning with some laquer thinner on a piece of cloth.
If there is even a bit of extra length I'd also cut a thin slice of the cable off with a VERY sharp blade like a new razor blade. I'd think this fresh surface would allow as much light as possable to enter the cable.
Regards,
Alan
I think I'd start cleaning with some laquer thinner on a piece of cloth.
If there is even a bit of extra length I'd also cut a thin slice of the cable off with a VERY sharp blade like a new razor blade. I'd think this fresh surface would allow as much light as possable to enter the cable.
Regards,
Alan
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,116
Likes: 5
From: Livonia MI
I don't know about the laquer thinner as that tend's to attack and soften most plastic's. I've worked on some fiber optic's data project's where they put the cable end's in a jig to hold it perfectly flat, and polish it against a lightly abrasive panel. Funny watching these guy's, as it's their job all day long. Something like this might be your best bet. What ever you do, make sure the end is flat and shiney.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
The FO 'covers' that protrude into the lens housings are plastic. The FO cables are just pressed into those covers, so the covers are what is probably painted. It would be best to remove the FO cables and covers from the light housings, then clean and polish the area of the cover that has the FO end placed next to it (inside and outside surface of the cover). At the same time, you can use some lacquer thinner on a 'Q-Tip' to clean the end of the FO cable of dirt and/or paint before you reassemble it all.
Instructor
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 172
Likes: 3
From: Hesperia California
fiber optics
As mentioned before, Sharp razor blade, I had just enough cable sticking out the end to cut off. That is the trick, My fiber optics work like new and are as bright as you can get. Good luck
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 5,941
Likes: 281
From: Was New Orleans but swam to Baton Rouge LA
Cruise-In IX Veteran
As mentioned I would try the thinner first. You could also do some sanding on the ends. The proper way to sand a fiber optic cable is in a figure 8 so that way you do not develop a pattern going one way. I would only cut the cable if absolutely necessary.
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Racer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 259
Likes: 2
From: Sacramento CA
The FO cable pushes up into a lens. If it is just the lens I would try pulling the lens, clean with soap and water, then try to polish it with a little wax first. You can buy new lenses too. If that doesn't work I would work my way up the ladder with liquid polish, mineral spirits, paint thinner, laquer thiner, MEK, acetone. On plastic parts I'd stop at paint thinner, maybe laquer thinner but nothing more.
The fiber cable ends can easily be dressed trimed with a fresh razor blade. If you find that the left rear monitor is a little dim, it is because that cable enters the dash lens at a 90 degree angle and shines up through a prisim cut in the lens. I have tried everything and that light is always a little dimmer than the rest.
The fiber cable ends can easily be dressed trimed with a fresh razor blade. If you find that the left rear monitor is a little dim, it is because that cable enters the dash lens at a 90 degree angle and shines up through a prisim cut in the lens. I have tried everything and that light is always a little dimmer than the rest.
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
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From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Same thing here with the painted tail lamp buckets.
I just put heavy duty paint remover on the end of a Q-tip.
I just put heavy duty paint remover on the end of a Q-tip.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 310
Likes: 25
From: Brisbane Australia
On a related question to the rear, what about if there is overspray on the front headlight FOs like in my pic below? How would you get the FO components out of the connector to slice a bit off/clean it up?
Below is after using a bit of thinner on a qtip but I'm sure it could be better if I could get it out to slice the end cleanly.
Below is after using a bit of thinner on a qtip but I'm sure it could be better if I could get it out to slice the end cleanly.
Last edited by azza2u; Mar 4, 2012 at 08:21 PM.
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
Or you could screw it up and have an even bigger piece of $h!t to deal with.
Just sayin'...
Just sayin'...
CF JASOC Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,040
Likes: 34
From: Downtown Annapolis, MD. The Future is where we all have to live. Let's not screw it up.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
